Unfortunately for me, rumour has it this is an El Nino year, which in CA usually means warmer, wetter winters - lotsa rain, without getting TOO cold. Here, "warmer" is a relative term that means "still below zero, just not quite so far" and "wetter" translates to "so much dang snow you'll be buried by December at the rate we're going". The one benefit of extreme sub-zero temperatures is that it actually gets too cold to snow. It's a small benefit.
But not this year! This year, El Nino has decided to come out and play early. Our first snow came the week of Canadian Thanksgiving (Columbus Day). It didn't last very long, and the snow didn't pile up TOO badly, but it was the beginning of the end of my lovely, sporadically warm and otherwise pleasant Fall. Last week and this week (with the exception of Monday and Tuesday, which were strangely warm and dry, and melted the previous layer of snow) we have had a couple of dumps. Currently, it has been snowing nearly non-stop for the past three days. Perhaps some of you have seen this floating around Facebook:
True story.
While tons of snow brings all sorts of problems with it, there are a few silver linings that I have discovered, so in an attempt to help trick myself into liking (or at least not actively loathing) snow, I've decided to enumerate the multiple ways in which snow doesn't actively suck.
1. Drifting in the car when you have no snow tires. Working at 7 in the morning has meant that the idea of taking my car in for snow tires and leaving it there until the next day is unsupportable (I've been reading a lot of Georgette Hayer novels lately). And I needed my car last weekend, so I didn't take it in Saturday. Which means that I have been driving around for the past couple of weeks with no snow tires on. It's been great fun. Going around corners, particularly with the icy roads of today, has meant drifting like a racer in Fast and Furious. Except a lot slower, and with a little less control. But still, as I drifted around the corner on my way to drop my car off for snow tires today, I was a little sad, because it was most likely my last smooth drift of the season.
2. Kids in snow clothing. The students at the daycare all have to wear jackets and snow pants to play outside at recess. Generally, they are required to get themselves in and out of their snow clothing, as we do not have time to help them one on one. Have you ever watched kinders or grade ones get in and out of snow clothes? It's great fun - like watching a bunch of tiny mental patients putting on and taking off their own straitjackets. And of course, there's always that one kid who gets entirely kitted out before discovering they need to pee. Have you ever seen a small child trying to get out of snow pants while doing the pee pee dance? It's hilarious! The dance interferes with the removal of the pants, which makes the need to pee worse - it's a vicious cycle that generally requires adult intervention to break. I'll be honest - I sometimes wait a second or two before jumping in. Hey, they've got to learn to do it themselves, right?
3. Kids in snow. It's like watching a bunch of puppies or piglets rolling around in the mud. They love it! The cold and wet don't bother them in the least. I have one little girl who is from the Philippines. This is her first time experiencing snow, and she throws herself around in it like she's swimming in a pool. It's very cute. I'd take a picture to post, but I'm fairly certain it's against the rules.
4. Making kids walk through the halls with their snow clothes. In the morning, the kids come to our center with all their school stuff. They stay with us until about ten minutes before the bell, at which point we send them outside to line up with their classes. Usually I take the kinders around the outside of the building, but with the amount of snow on the grounds right now, not to mention the issues getting the kids in and out of their snow clothes, it's not worth the effort of getting them ready. So I walk them through the halls instead. They still have to take all their snow clothing, in addition to their school stuff, but since they are all very small, with short little arms, it's a bit difficult for them to carry everything. Since I am not a pack mule, I refuse to carry all their stuff. Instead I have devised an ingenious system for them to haul their junk. It starts with their backpack on their backs, with hats and mittens tucked inside the pack. Then they wear their jackets like capes, with the hood on their head. One boot is carried in each hand, to reduce the amount of weight per hand. But the best part is the snow pants hanging around the neck by the straps. I get all four of my morning kinders kitted out this way, then parade them through the school. It's very cute, and they get a lot of chuckles.
5. Legit cat snuggle time. Gus and Lily seem convinced that going outside is akin to dying and going to heaven. Today I allowed them to test that theory by letting them out in the snow one at a time. Gus seemed down for an adventure, but Lily kept shaking the snow off her paw with each step and meowing irritatedly at me. When we got back inside, she wanted nothing more than to sit on my lap and sleep. They have both also taken to coming and warming my bed up for me, and if I happen to be reading when they come, they'll sit on my feet. They are large cats, and very warm. If I can continue to exploit my animals as heaters, I will be okay with the snow.
6. Snow is pretty. While I don't quite know how I feel about White Christmases (my dreams of them tend to run more to the nightmare side), I will admit that right now, with the snow still falling (and falling, and falling, and falling some more and the weatherman needs to stop telling us it's going to stop tomorrow, because I swear the snow is listening, and then being all "Don't tell me my bidness, devil woman!" and continuing to fall just to spite everyone), it's all Christmas postcard-y gorgeous. Last night I figured I needed to take a picture of it, but in the spirit of true laziness, I decided against actually going outside. This picture is what I got by sticking my arm out the backdoor and using my phone camera.
Pretty, no? The snow hides all the dead flowers nicely, and my snow tires - to the left hand side - look like little hillocks. I don't even mind the snow on the arch, since the clematis was cut back and no longer drops snow on my head every time I come through the gate. I toyed with the idea of going on a walk and taking pictures of the pond, the creek, and the ravine. Except the wind is still being ridiculously whiny, so it was too cold for that today. Perhaps later, but no promises.
So there ya go. The silver linings to the snow clouds that have been hovering over Edmonton the past three days. I am sure we are in for a lot more snow - it will definitely get worse before it gets better. But at least now I have some amusements and diversions that will help me appreciate the snow, even if I still don't like it.
I LOVE Georgette Heyer! Which ones are your favorite? Mine are Sylvester, or The Wicked Uncle and The Grand Sophy
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